Check out the story about the proposed Shopko Hometown retail store in this week's Tomahawk Leader. We also are covering all the city meetings today (April 16) dealing with the topic and will have follow-up coverage.

I don't think we need another pharmacy, and I'm not sure we need another optical department. What we do need are children's clothes, and both adult and children's shoes. Years ago Ben Franklin carried the Garanimal clothing line for kids but they don't any longer. Other than souvenir type teeshirts and sweatshirts there is very little in the way of children's clothing locally.

How would opening a Shopko impact Ben Franklin? I would not want any new store to come in if it means driving out a store that has been here a long time.

Comparing Walmart and Shopko, what are Shopko's business practices? Are their workers in a union? Do employees get health benefits? Do they hire mostly full time workers or do they hire a lot of part timers so they don't have to give benefits?

Overall, I need to know more.

Nell

More women die of lung cancer than breast cancer. If you smoke, quit. If you don't, don't start.

NurseNell wrote:Comparing Walmart and Shopko, what are Shopko's business practices? Are their workers in a union? Do employees get health benefits? Do they hire mostly full time workers or do they hire a lot of part timers so they don't have to give benefits?

Gee, thanks for being helpful... Yes, there is probably some info on Shopko's site to answer (didn't see anything else that looked useful on the first page of search results) NurseNell's questions but even then it took me a little digging to find the answer to even one of the questions.

I know this doesn't answer your questions Nurse Nell, however I'm a Shopko shopper. I like Shopko. I've had the opportunity to stop at the Shopko Hometown in Stanley. I was not impressed. It reminded me more of Pamida than it did Shopko. The Stanley store is rather oddly accessible. The store was sparsely stocked. The pricing was a bit high in my opinion. There were few customers in the store at 6pm. I don't see it as a plus for the Tomahawk community.

Granted, I moved away from Tomahawk years ago, but it amazes me that the people who live there (according to what I am reading on comments) are opposed to any new business moving in to help you guys. Tomahawk has nothing in the line of shopping. Why not Shopko? Beats traveling 18 miles to Rhinelander. Competition will make competitive price, add new jobs to the area, make the city grow. It is not your job to criticize if they hire part time or full time, just shop there if you chose. If you do not like their employment policies, do not work there then. Simple. Part time workers is the reality of life, and saves companies vacation pay, health insurance costs, sick pay, and in turn makes prices lower for you the consumer. If they cannot find PT employees, then they have to offer these benefits. I think it is wonderful for Tomahawk and the elderly who cannot travel to get more a variety another store has to offer. Go Shopko!

All those questions about their hiring, salary and benefit policies may be good reasons for you to decide rather YOU want to shop there or not. But they are not reasons for the city to turn them down as long as they are within the legal parameters of the city zoning and all other laws.

I would also like to point out that most of those concerns including rather they are union or not are things that will determine pricing of their merchandise.

I always get a kick out of people that say they will not support Walmart of any of the other discounters because the do not have union employees, or they pay minimum wage, use part time employees, or buy their products form overseas. Then in the next breadth they are complaining about high prices.

Seems like there is little problem with connecting the "reality" dots by these people.